Interesting news today out of Germany: • “When arsenic level in beer is higher than in the water used during brewing, this excess arsenic must come from other sources,” Coelhan noted. “That was a mystery to us. As a consequence, we analyzed all materials, including the malt and the hops used …

Turns out there is a big world of other news out there. When people are complaining all over the place about their competition - even while, you know there are no competitors just allies in good beer - there are actually other tales being told. Important stories which do not actually even include …

I was deeply saddened to read the news from ATJ this morning as I woke with another.. another... crappy chest cold: • As for the beer brewed over here (a US version will be made later in the year with Wells’ yeast — get to the Philly Beer Week in June for the launch), there I was listening …

So far, a day and a half of wandering around Canada's coolest downtown. Walking up and over and around an iced hill. Shopping with family. Forced marches in search of tea and Converse. I am struck how there is such availability of what I want to call table beer. A perfectly good jug of decent ale …

A couple of months ago, I noted how the Brewers Association committed the self-inflicted act to making no sense in a press release while at the same time reminding beer buyers that the competition made tasty beer at a lower price. As the market morphs away from the "one ring to rule them all" …

Long writing is something that has nagged at me for much of my adult life. Unlike what you see on TV, most of what most people who, like me, work in the law spend most of the day reading and writing, searching for a more coherent argument or a weak point in the authority being relied upon. And it …

What is it about good beer that makes people layer ridiculous claims over it, against it or in its favour. What did beer do to deserve this? It's just a fluid of simple natural ingredients that offers a little intoxication and a little nutrition. I had a Korea tea today made of green tea and brown …

Kidney stones, a CT scan of my innards, visits to the ER as well as my GP not to mention a bunch of blood tests with a whack of other acronyms have literally put me off my beer. And not just because I have been reminded to be careful as we all should with the effects of malty goodness on our …

I have a few things burbling away. First in line, as you know, Albany ale needs to be properly addressed - especially given Craig's more detailed research and clearer organization of the topic. Having stumbled upon the forgotten center of brewing of America before the lager invasion, it's worthy … read more »

I've been thinking more and more about the framework of the beery discourse and what has gotten us to this point. Still no comprehensive US history of beer. Still we live with the very language of beer controlled by organizations with middle managers, accountants and committees. And a growing … read more »

Alan is apparently a Gen X-er who has hit 40... err...44... err... 45... YIKES... 46 ... [ZOW-WEE!!] 48... jessh, now 51... and edits and writes about other stuff at his personal website Gen X at 40. Please email Alan or any of the authors at this blog's gmail account - please write if you want to join the ranks of authors of this site or just want to send in a story on your favorite beer or photo of your regular pub.

I have moved the content of the OCB Commentary Wiki here. It is now a static document and pretty much is locked in as understandings existed as of 2012. Probably needs its own wiki to update the content! Below are the original introductory remarks:

"The purpose of this wiki is to collectively make comments, add annotation, identify errata and suggest further sources to the text of The Oxford Companion to Beer. Members are asked to avoid comment about the authors, the structure of the text or other extraneous matters. This wiki is a not for profit project that reviews the text pursuant to the concept of "fair dealing for the purpose of criticism or review" under Canadian copyright law." Alan McLeod, wiki Organizer, and chief bottle washer at A Good Beer Blog. Motto? "Many hands make pleasant work." Alan McLeod, 25 October 2011. Please provide some information about yourself when making a request to join the wiki. Anonymous requests for membership will not be approved. Overly ardent and rudely put claims to authority will be cause for removal from the membership. As of 11 January 2012, 134 entries or 12.2% of the total of 1,100 received commentary, many with multiple comments. Eight of the photos have been corrected as well. That number rose to 151 by 13 May 2012.